# US 11,625,441 B2 · Method and apparatus for photograph finding > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,625,441 B2 - Document ID: US11625441B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/371,595 - Filed: 2021-07-09 - Published: 2021-12-30 - Granted: 2023-04-11 - Earliest claimed: 2004-02-12 - Assignees: Intellectual Ventures I LLC - Applicants: Intellectual Ventures I LLC - Inventors: Gary Stephen Shuster - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11625441B2 ## CPC - G06V 10/75: Organisation of the matching processes, e.g. simultaneous or sequential comparisons of image or video features; Coarse-fine approaches, e.g. multi-scale approaches; using context analysis; Selection of dictionaries - G06F 16/38: Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually - G06F 16/50: of still image data - G06F 16/58: Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually - G06F 16/583: using metadata automatically derived from the content - G06F 16/5838: {using colour} - G06F 16/5854: {using shape and object relationship} - G06F 16/587: using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location - G06F 16/951: Indexing; Web crawling techniques - G06F 18/22: Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures - Y10S 707/99933: Query processing, i.e. searching - Y10S 707/99936: Pattern matching access - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract Digital image data including discrete photographic images of a variety of different subjects, times, and so forth, are collected and analyzed to identify specific features in the photographs. In an embodiment of the invention, distinctive markers are distributed to aid in the identification of particular subject matter. Facial recognition may also be employed. The digital image data is maintained in a database and quarried in response to search requests. The search requests include criteria specifying any feature category or other identifying information, such as date, time, and location that each photograph was taken, associated with each photograph. Candidate images are provided for review by requesters, who may select desired images for purchase or downloading. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: a computer system receiving a search request that includes a digital image; the computer system determining a set of multiple characteristics of the digital image, including: one or more objects appearing in the digital image; one or more colors appearing in the digital image; and lighting conditions appearing in the digital image; the computer system comparing the set of multiple characteristics with corresponding characteristics for respective ones of a plurality of stored digital images; and the computer system transmitting a response to the search request, wherein the response indicates one or more stored digital images that meet one or more matching criteria for the comparing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the set of multiple characteristics further includes one or more characteristics of the following characteristics: faces recognized in the digital image; time of day represented in the digital image; a device used to capture the digital image; and a geographic location at which the digital image was captured. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more objects include visual facial characteristics. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more objects include a known marker obj ect. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the multiple characteristics is determined based on image metadata and at least one of the multiple characteristics is determined based on analyzing image data of the digital image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the search request is received via a wide area network, the digital image is uploaded via the wide area network, and the response is transmitted via the wide area network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the transmitting the response includes causing reduced-size versions, of the one or more stored digital images that meet one or more matching criteria, to be displayed via a web site. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: the computer system receiving one or more search parameters based on user input; wherein the comparing includes comparing characteristics for stored digital images with the received one or more search parameters. ### Claim 9 A system, comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memories having program instructions stored thereon that are executable by the one or more processors to: receive a search request that includes a digital image; determine a set of multiple characteristics of the digital image, including: one or more objects appearing in the digital image; one or more colors appearing in the digital image; and lighting conditions appearing in the digital image; compare the set of multiple characteristics with corresponding characteristics for respective ones of a plurality of stored digital images; and transmit a response to the search request, wherein the response indicates one or more stored digital images that meet one or more matching criteria for the comparison. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the set of multiple characteristics further includes the following characteristics: faces recognized in the digital image; and time of day represented in the digital image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the set of multiple characteristics further includes the following characteristics: a device used to capture the digital image; and a geographic location at which the digital image was captured. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the multiple characteristics is determined based on image metadata and at least one of the multiple characteristics is determined based on an analysis of pixel data of the digital image. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the search request is received via a wide area network, the digital image is uploaded via the wide area network, and the response is transmitted via the wide area network. ### Claim 14 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by a computing device to perform operations comprising: receiving a search request that includes a digital image; determining a set of multiple characteristics of the digital image, including: one or more objects appearing in the digital image; one or more colors appearing in the digital image; and lighting conditions appearing in the digital image; comparing the set of multiple characteristics with corresponding characteristics for respective ones of a plurality of stored digital images; and transmitting a response to the search request, wherein the response indicates one or more stored digital images that meet one or more matching criteria for the comparing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the set of multiple characteristics further includes one or more characteristics of the following characteristics: faces recognized in the digital image; time of day represented in the digital image; a device used to capture the digital image; and a geographic location at which the digital image was captured. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein at least one of the multiple characteristics is determined based on image metadata and at least one of the multiple characteristics is determined based on analyzing image data of the digital image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the search request is received via a wide area network, the digital image is uploaded via the wide area network, and the response is transmitted via the wide area network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the transmitting the response includes causing reduced-size versions, of the one or more stored digital images that meet one or more matching criteria, to be displayed via a web site. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving one or more search parameters based on user input; wherein the comparing includes comparing characteristics for stored digital images with the received one or more search parameters. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more objects include visual facial characteristics.